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Liverpool’s search for a new centre-back has reportedly seen them identify Castello Lukeba as a potential alternative to Marc Guehi. Premier League rivals Tottenham are also said to be interested in a move that could prompt a major battle for the RB Leipzig star.

Reports claim that Liverpool will not pay Crystal Palace’s £45million asking price for Guehi, who has only one year remaining on his contract. That provides a potential hitch to a potential deal, with Palace keen to maximise the England defender’s value after turning down several bids from Newcastle and Tottenham over the past year. Liverpool could seek other options and are reportedly keen on Lukeba, with whom they were linked during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

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According to Foot Mercato, Leipzig are aware of interest in the 22-year-old from Liverpool, Spurs and Bayern Munich. While Lukeba has a £78m release clause in his contract, the German club would reportedly be open to accepting slightly less.

However, any fee for the France international is expected to be significantly close to that figure. There is reportedly a feeling in Lukeba’s camp that it is time to move on from Leipzig, who endured a tough Bundesliga campaign and failed to qualify for any European competition for next season.

Leipzig are said to be under no pressure to sell as the player has four years remaining on his contract, which may make a £78m deal more appealing to Liverpool than the £45m figure for Guehi. Lukeba was signed from Lyon in 2023 and has gone on to make 72 appearances for the club.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are likely to sign a new centre-back this summer. Jarell Quansah’s departure to Bayer Leverkusen leaves Arne Slot with only three senior players in the position. One of those is Ibrahima Konate, whose future looks unclear amid a reported impasse during contract negotiations.

Konate only has a year remaining on his contract. Real Madrid are widely reported to be interested in a deal for the Frenchman, who Liverpool signed from Leipzig in 2021.

Guehi is said to be a target but will cost Liverpool north of £40m at this stage. He may even decide to see out the final year of his contract at Palace before deciding his next move after next year’s World Cup, where he is expected to be a key part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad.

Liverpool have already spent £186m this summer on Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. The departure of Quansah and other potential outgoing deals will give the Reds much more spending power.

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West Ham United have offered Manchester United and Chelsea the opportunity to sign Mohammed Kudus this summer, according to reports. However, Tottenham Hotspur appear to be leading the race for the 24-year-old's signature as Thomas Frank bids to upgrade his attack.

West Ham are ready to cash in on Kudus, with the club strapped for cash and requiring player sales to fund a desperately needed rebuild under Graham Potter. The Ghana international is Potter's most valuable player after captain Jarrod Bowen, who is considered priceless, and could be on the move ahead of next season.

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West Ham's urgent need for money is expected to make Kudus available for less than his 10-day release clause, which runs until July 10.

The clause is worth £85million for Premier League clubs, £80m for European sides and £120m for Saudi Pro League outfits.

But, according to GIVEMESPORT, Spurs are targeting Kudus as a priority and believe West Ham would accept a reduced bid worth £60m.

It's claimed that Chelsea and United have also been offered the Hammers forward, but neither club currently appear primed to act and make an approach.

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Spurs are keen to bolster Frank's attacking firepower ahead of his first season in charge after replacing Ange Postecoglou as head coach.

The Lilywhites have been linked with Premier League pair Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo, among other forwards.

However, Mbeumo's heart is set on a move to United if they can strike a deal with Brentford, while Semenyo has just signed a new Bournemouth contract.

Kudus struggled last season, along with the vast majority of his West Ham teammates, scoring five goals and providing three assists in 32 Premier League games.

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He showed signs of true quality in his first season in England after a £38m switch from Ajax, though, amassing 28 goal involvements in 48 games in all competitions.

Kudus would become the first permanent transfer between the two London rivals since Scott Parker joined Tottenham in 2011.

United's focus is currently on pushing through a deal for Mbeumo, having already sealed the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are set to complete the additions of Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro after recruiting Liam Delap earlier in the summer.

Chelsea may already have the upper hand over Tottenham in the race to sign West Ham star Mohammed Kudus. Both sides have been heavily linked with the versatile forward in recent weeks, and the Ghana international is said to be open to heading elsewhere this summer.

The Blues have already bolstered their attacking ranks markedly in the transfer window so far, with Liam Delap joining the club and deals for Brighton’s Joao Pedro and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens nearing completion.

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Further attacking reinforcements are in the pipeline as well, with Kudus emerging as an option being explored at Stamford Bridge. However, Enzo Maresca’s side may have to act quickly to prevent the West Ham star from heading to rivals Tottenham – who are also keen.

An offer in the region of £60million is expected to test the resolve of the Hammers for the 24-year-old, but Chelsea may have the ideal opportunity to bring that asking price down and beat Spurs to securing his signature.

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According to talkSPORT, West Ham are looking to offload Kudus to fund their own spending spree, and they are interested in bringing in at least one of Chelsea’s ‘for sale’ midfielders once their No. 14 has departed.

Graham Potter’s side are interested in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka, which could present Chelsea with the ideal opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and strike a player-plus-cash deal.

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Dewsbury-Hall or Chukwuemeka are likely to be viewed as ideal makeweights for the Blues to bring down Kudus’ asking price – and given how both players are surplus to requirements, Maresca’s side may explore the opportunity to avoid paying a fee entirely and sending the duo to the Hammers.

Tottenham have already seen a bid knocked back for the ex-Ajax star already this week and a fresh approach could be made, which would then give Chelsea plenty to think about – especially if offers for either Chukwuemeka and Dewsbury-Hall aren’t particularly forthcoming.

Kudus is capable of playing on either wing, in midfield as a No. 10 or as a makeshift striker when required, and his immense versatility could be the final piece of the puzzle for Chelsea as they look to build an attack capable of competing on all fronts next season.

Manchester United and Tottenham have seen their transfer plans rocked, with AFC Bournemouth announcing that Antoine Semenyo has extended his contract with the club. The winger was being eyed by both Premier League sides this summer, but he has snubbed the interest in favour of remaining on the south coast.

United and Tottenham are both in the market for attacking reinforcements, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Semenyo among those eyed. However, the latter will no longer be on the move over the coming months.

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Bournemouth have announced that Semenyo has put pen to paper on a new five-year contract with the Cherries in a major sign of intent from Andoni Iraola’s side. Bournemouth have already sold Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid) and Milos Kerkez (Liverpool) this summer, whilst Illia Zabarnyi remains locked in talks with Paris Saint-Germain.

Thus, retaining the services of one of their other top players will ensure that a major rebuild is not truly in the offing at the Vitality Stadium.

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Speaking after putting pen to paper with Bournemouth, Semenyo said: “I’ve grown so much at the club, both on and off the pitch, and I’m really happy to have signed ahead of returning for pre-season.

“From the fans to the staff and my teammates, I can’t speak highly enough of the people around the club. It’s a great place to be and I’m excited to get back to Bournemouth and continue the hard work with the new season just around the corner.”

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Spurs and United had previously began to explore alternative options earlier this summer due to his valuation. According to The Athletic, Bournemouth were demanding £70million to part ways with Semenyo this summer, which ultimately ‘deterred’ interest from his suitors.

The Ghana international’s price tag is likely to have now risen further now that he is tied down to a bumper deal, and another season battling it out for Iraola’s side therefore appears to be firmly on the cards as the club look to make another push for European football.

Tottenham have also cooled their interest in Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze recently, with the England international in talks to join rivals Arsenal. In contrast, United remain locked in negotiations to sign Mbeumo after seeing a handful of bids for the winger rejected already.

Eberechi Eze has been told to snub interest from Arsenal and sign for their north London rivals, Tottenham, instead. The talented Crystal Palace star is subject to transfer interest this summer, with a move away from Selhurst Park expected to follow although Arsenal are reluctant to pay the fee required.

Eze helped guide Palace to their first-ever trophy win last term, defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, with the England international netting the game’s decisive goal. However, shortly after lifting the famous old trophy, Eze admitted in an interview that he has ambitions of competing for silverware on a regular basis, fuelling speculation that a transfer could follow.

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It appears that could be the case, with The Athletic reporting Arsenal and Spurs are exploring the possibility of signing Eze this summer. However, the Premier League runners-up aren't believed to be keen on paying Eze's £68million release clause and would prefer to strike a deal for less.

But, according to one former Premier League manager, signing for the Gunners would be a mistake anyway, with a switch to Spurs the better option for his career. Speaking on talkSPORT, ex-Newcastle United and Palace boss Alan Pardew said: "My Arsenal friends, all June (said) if they get the right number nine, they’ve got a great chance of winning the league and I do agree with that.

"Would Eze take them nearer to that title? Possibly but I think they’ve got enough quality with everybody there… I think he should go to Spurs if he leaves the great Crystal Palace."

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Eze joined the south Londoners in 2020, signing from fellow capital club Queens Park Rangers. His most recent contract extension with Palace came in 2023, with two years still to run on his existing deal. As such, Pardew has questioned whether Palace will buckle and sell for less than the rumoured £68million release clause.

The manager-turned-pundit added: "He’s secured for two or three years on his contract so I think they can be a bit bolder. I don’t think there’s any financial pressure there. They have new owners into Crystal Palace, more funds coming in. So I think Eze will stay and I don’t think that’s a bad thing because I think he’s one of those he doesn’t get stressed out by things. He’s quite a cool guy, he’s quite grounded. I think he’ll have another great year at Crystal Palace, hopefully.”

Palace are guaranteed to be playing European football next season, even if Oliver Glasner’s side don’t yet know if that will be in the Europa League or the Conference League. It’s six weeks until the new Premier League season gets underway, with the transfer window set to run until September 1.

Chelsea could reportedly hijack Tottenham's pursuit of Mohamed Kudus by negotiating a swap deal for the West Ham winger. The west Londoners have been among the Premier League's busiest clubs in the summer window, having already made a number of signings. Liam Delap, Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez have all moved to Stamford Bridge since the end of last season.

Two more players are set to follow in the coming days, with Chelsea having agreed deals to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens and Brighton striker Joao Pedro. The former will arrive in exchange for around £55million, while the latter will cost in the region of £60m. Chelsea have also been tipped to land Kudus despite the 24-year-old being heavily courted by Tottenham.

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Bryan Mbeumo was initially earmarked as a target by Tottenham but the Brentford winger is now more likely to join Manchester United. As a result, the north Londoners are said to have turned their attention to Kudus, who has a release clause of £85m.

Chelsea, however, are yet to rule out a move of their own and could attempt to hijack the deal. They have already looked at the possibility of sending players to West Ham in return, according to the Daily Mail.

It is said that senior figures at the London Stadium are not interested in any of the trades which have been mooted so far. A swap deal might not even be necessary, given that West Ham are not demanding that Kudus' release clause be paid in full.

They are reportedly willing to listen to 'reasonable offers', suggesting Chelsea could negotiate a discount on the £85m figure written into the player's contract.

An offer in the region of £60m could be enough to tempt West Ham into doing business, according to The Guardian.

It is also claimed that Chelsea will likely need to make sales before pressing ahead with a move for Kudus. The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga and Armando Broja are listed as 'obvious candidates' to move on.

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Chelsea could also listen to offers for Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix, while Djordje Petrovic's future is uncertain after he was omitted from their Club World Cup squad.

Noni Madueke is said to be attracting interest from several other Premier League clubs, including the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle. Chelsea have no desire to let him leave, though, with Enzo Maresca a huge fan of the England winger.

Only time will tell if Chelsea manage to hijack Tottenham's move for Kudus, which would be a bitter blow for their London rivals. With over a month until the summer window slams shut, there is plenty of time for a deal of some kind to be arranged.

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Tottenham could be set to make a tidy profit on a player who is yet to make his debut for their first team. Reports claim that Championship side Sheffield United are interested in highly-rated defender Ashley Phillips.

Spurs signed the 20-year-old from Blackburn for £2million in 2023. He has spent the last two seasons on loan at Plymouth and Stoke, respectively. However, the England youth international could be on the move again ahead of next season. Sheffield United are said to be monitoring a potential move that might see Spurs receive around £6m for a player who has never played for them.

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According to The Sun, the Blades are ready to pay the fee but the transfer hinges on new Spurs boss Thomas Frank changing his mind. At the moment, the former Brentford head coach is keen to see Phillips in his first-team squad.

Spurs beat strong competition from their Premier League rivals to sign Phillips two years ago. He won Plymouth’s Young Player of the Year award in 2023-24 as the club won promotion from League One to the Championship.

The youngster, who also qualifies to play for Wales, impressed at Stoke last season and helped them avoid relegation from the second tier by a mere two points. There would be a different challenge at Sheffield United, who will be attempting to win promotion to the Premier League after their failed play-off campaign in May.

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Spurs are yet to sign any new players since Frank’s appointment was confirmed. As expected, loans for Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich and Kevin Danso from Lens were made permanent at the end of last season.

The Telegraph claims that Spurs are interested in signing Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in a deal that would see the clubs do business for the first time since 2011. Kudus was also reportedly being monitored by Chelsea, but the Blues are busy completing deals for fellow forwards Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro.

Spurs are in the market for a forward this season, despite boasting strength in their attacking options. Son Heung-min will hope for a better season after his contract was extended, while Wilson Odobert missed much of the last campaign through injury after joining from Burnley. Tel, Richarlison and Mikey Moore can all play out wide, too.

Tottenham have reportedly identified West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus as their primary target after missing out on the signing of Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United. Spurs are aiming to bolster their squad this summer after appointing Thomas Frank as their new boss.

Tottenham reportedly tabled a £70million offer for Mbeumo in mid-June, with Frank keen to reunite with the Cameroon international following their six years together at Brentford. But Mbeumo made it clear that he only wanted to sign for United, and the Red Devils are expected to complete a deal before the start of the Premier League season.

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Frank will be desperate to bring in new faces as Tottenham prepare for their return to the Champions League after booking their place in the competition when they overcame United in the Europa League final in May.

And, according to The Telegraph, Spurs are optimistic they can sign Kudus for well below his £85m release clause.

Tottenham and West Ham reportedly have an unofficial transfer embargo between them after Spurs chairman Daniel Levy stopped Emmanuel Adebayor from joining the Hammers in 2015.

But the Lilywhites want to break that embargo, with West Ham said to be willing to sell Kudus to help finance a summer rebuild.

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Kudus, 24, has been a standout player for West Ham since joining them from Ajax two years ago and has bagged 19 goals and 13 assists in 80 games for the Hammers.

He is contracted to the east London giants until 2028 but is said to have a release clause that can be activated during the first 10 days of July.

However, Tottenham may ignore the clause if they believe they can get him on the cheap outside of that window.

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Kudus spoke to SportsBoom about his life in the Premier League towards the end of last season.

And he revealed: “There are ups and downs, but you still have to show up with a smile on your face, work hard, and try to improve every single day because I really believe in my abilities. Yeah, that’s something no one can take from me.”

Discussing his future, he then added: “I’m just here to play my football, enjoy myself, and help the team as much as I can. The future will take care of itself.”

Meanwhile, West Ham boss Graham Potter said of Kudus last season: “He’s been working hard since we’ve been here, I’ve said that many times in press conferences. We can see the talent, we can see the potential - but it’s our responsibility, and his, to try and get more.”

Arsenal could benefit by using Reiss Nelson in a player-plus-cash swap deal for Eberechi Eze. The attacking-midfielder has become the latest Crystal Palace star linked with an exit this summer, with both Arsenal and their north London rivals Tottenham interested in signing the player.

It is no secret that the Gunners are in search of a creative midfielder who can play on the left flank, with it being reported earlier this week by The Mirror that Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta had opened talks with Eze’s representatives. The England international, who scored the winner in this season’s FA Cup final, is understood to have a £68million release clause in his Palace contract. The 27-year-old crucially presents a cheaper alternative to Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who would also demand higher wages at Arsenal.

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And the Gunners can even look to lower Palace’s asking price by offering the Selhurst Park side a player, in the form of Nelson. The winger spent last season out on loan at Fulham and had impressed prior to his hamstring injury in December, which ruled him out for the rest of the season and meant he only managed 13 appearances.

Palace have shown interest in Nelson in the past and are again keeping an eye on the 25-year-old, according to TEAMtalk. His transfer value of £10m may help Berta hit two birds with one stone by offloading an unwanted player while securing Eze for a lower fee.

Eze, like Nelson, was once part of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy but was released as a 13-year-old, which he previously admitted made him a “crying wreck". But there is now a real possibility he could end up back at the Emirates Stadium this summer, which would land a huge blow to bitter rivals Tottenham.

Spurs’ new manager Thomas Frank is a huge fan of Eze, who is believed to have become a major target with the side now set to miss out on signing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo. Frank was keen to take the Cameroon star with him to north London from Brentford but joining Manchester United was always Mbeumo's preference.

Alongside working on an Eze deal that would break Tottenham hearts, Arsenal are also conducting negotiations for other additions in the background. Spaniard Martin Zubimendi is expected to follow compatriot Kepa Arrizabalaga to the Emirates shortly.

Berta is also working on bringing in either Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres as a striker. Sesko is believed to be the Gunners’ primary target, given his younger age and experience playing in a tougher league, with Bild now reporting that Leipzig have lowered their asking price to £59.7m for the 22-year-old Slovenia international.

Tottenham Hotspur could have a tasty-looking line-up next season if Thomas Frank manages to land three top targets this summer. The former Brentford boss has been tasked with turning around Spurs’ Premier League fortunes following a dismal 17th-place finish in 2024/25.

Winning the Europa League and therefore securing Champions League football wasn’t enough to keep Ange Postecoglou in the job, with 22 league defeats proving too many to swallow for the Spurs hierarchy. Frank must make quality new signings for his new club to be a force both domestically and in Europe next season. Incoming additional revenue generated by a minimum of eight Champions League games could see chairman Daniel Levy loosen the purse strings, with a number of high-calibre players being linked with a move to the white half of north London. With that in mind, here’s how Spurs could potentially look next season…

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Antoine Semenyo (£70million)

Spurs are among several clubs keen on Bournemouth winger, with Manchester United and Newcastle United also said to be admirers.

There’s one rather large potential hurdle for all three - the whopping £70m price tag the Cherries have slapped on the 25-year-old Ghana star. However, if Spurs have genuine ambitions of returning to the top-four battle, they are going to have to start writing some big cheques.

With United and Newcastle sailing closer to PSR limits, Spurs, who have been in regular contact with Bournemouth, could have the edge. However, with Semenyo only recently penning a new four-year deal, the Cherries can afford to hold firm over the price.

Jhon Lucumi (£24million)

After shipping 65 goals in the league last season, shoring up Spurs’ leaky defence will be a priority for Frank.

One potential addition is Bologna defender Lucumi, 27, who wouldn’t break the bank, which would be an added bonus to the frugal Levy. With his contract due to expire in 12 months’ time, the Serie A side are prepared to cash in this summer, with Aston Villa also reportedly interested.

With Cristian Romero possibly leaving the club this summer, Spurs will need a high-quality replacement. A centre-back with the Colombian's technical and physical qualities could fit the bill.

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Eberechi Eze (£68million)

Signing Eze would be a real statement of intent by Spurs, who have been linked with the Crystal Palace star for some time.

A deal failed to materialise last summer, but with Champions League football now on their schedule, it could now be a more attractive prospect for the FA Cup winner, who has a £68m release clause. However, it has now emerged that they face the worst kind of competition from Arsenal, who are desperate to pep up their attacking options.

If the prospect of missing out on Eze to their fiercest rivals doesn’t motivate Spurs to get a deal over the line, nothing will. That would be another setback for Spurs, who look set to miss out on Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo after he reportedly made it clear that he is favouring a move to Manchester United.

Other potential targets

Spurs have other irons in the fire. Marcus Rashford, if his dream move to Barcelona doesn’t materialise, is a potential option.

Meanwhile, there could be further Spurs-Arsenal transfer battles, with both clubs being linked with West Ham attacker Mohammed Kudus and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard.

Joao Pedro is available for the right price this summer. Newcastle and Chelsea have seen big-money bids for the Brazilian middleman rebuffed by Brighton, who are reportedly holding out for a figure beyond the £60m mark. Chelsea, however, now seem favourites to secure his signature. Sporting CP’s Danish anchorman Morten Hjulmand is another player linked with Spurs. He would cost an estimated £50m.

Potential Spurs XI: Vicario; Porro, Lucumi, Van de Ven, Udogie; Bergvall, Bentancur; Semenyo, Maddison, Eze; Solanke.